Halo: Year of Hell
by RY-01
Summary: Year 2552. The Human-Covenant War rages from the Planet Reach to the Earth as the final year of the Covenant War begins. Set between the end of Halo: Reach to the end of Halo 3 and everything inbetween.


Halo: Year of Hell

This is yet _another_ attempted by me to try and write a Halo fanfic. Now with some more free time on my hands I should be able to actually get round to writing a chapter or two every week or so as long as my creative spark burns brightly. For this fic I will be going a tad AU and I am going to try and link together the Halo game series (Halo:Reach, Halo, Halo 2, Halo 3 and Halo 3:ODST). Halo Wars will not be taken into account as I have not played it although I may include characters and the _Spirit of Fire_ later on.

As said I'll be going a tad AU mostly to keep a few characters around that I actually liked including, but not limited to Miranda Keyes, Avery Johnson and some of Noble Team (mainly Six, Jun and perhaps Carter, even though he sorta like died). A warning I will make now is that I intend to make backgrounds and personalities for some of the more quiet characters of the game series like the Rookie and Noble Six. I say this as I may include some relationships in the fic that might not just be male x female but also female x female and male x male if I decide to include relationships.

As for chapters I don't know whether to novelization the events of the games or just skip to the moments that I'll be making up. I might skip the events of Halo itself but include the parts of First Strike that occur at Reach rather than skipping to the Halo 2-era. If you think writing up the events of the games as separate "arcs" would be a good idea please post that in your review.

I don't have a beta reader so if anyone would life to offer to be it please e-mail me. So please read and review!

P.S. I do not own Halo or anything from the Halo universe except my own characters, vessels ect ect.

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**August 30th, 2552, 20:00 Hours**

**Planet Reach, Aszod Region**

Reach was once again mostly quiet. In one short month the planet had been ravaged by the so-called 'righteous' enemies of Humanity: the Covenant Empire. Once the most powerful military fortress world in the hands of United Nations Space Command, Reach was now a barrel world which left no major military installation between Earth and the Covenant. For Noble Team the _Battle of Reach_ had been a costly battle. Only two members remained of the once infamous SPARTAN team: Jun-A266 and Joshua-B312.

Joshua-B312 had been assigned to team since that unfortunate mission where Noble had correctly identified the fact that the Covenant had not only found Reach but had already begun their invasion of the planet. Having lost Jorge-052, the only SPARTAN-II of the team, along with Carter-A259, Cat-B320 and Emile-A239 the team was effectively dead. Jun-A266 had been assigned to escort Doctor Catherine Halsey to the last Human fortress on this planet, CASTLE Base. For Joshua-B312 however the only thing remaining for him was the Covenant. He was alone having left the Aszod Ship-Breaking Facility after the _Halcyon_-Class Cruiser, the _Pillar of Autmun_ had left carrying the "Package". The _Autumn_ was now Humanity's last hope with Reach gone and most SPARTANs 'MIA' or literally dead. The loud hum of a Covenant _Spirit_ dropship shook Joshua-B312 from his thoughts. They had come for him.

The SPARTAN-III, decked out in MJLNOIR MarkV Armor with a MarkV[B] helmet, loaded his MA37 Assault Rifle whilst snapping the M392 DMR to his back. He looked around the area seeing the bodies of 13 dead SPARTANs who had given their life to keep Reach safe whilst a flash of blue to the North made the SPARTAN-III notice yet another Covenant _CCS_-Class Battlecruiser that again glassed another part of the once beautiful planet. More loud hums meant more _Spirits_ along with a _Phanton_-class gunboat. Joshua-B312 heard the battle cries that roared from the Sangheilian elements of the Covenant forces that had dropped from the _Spirits_ he had heard beforehand. The SPARTAN-III raised his MA37 and charged forward encountering first a group of Grunts who cried out in terror that the image of one of the dreaded _Demons_ that the Covenant feared so much. Joshua raised his Assault Rifle and silenced them with a quick burst of rounds at each of the mini-alien terrors.

Unfortunately that alerted a nearby Minor Elite to his presence and the alien, hoping to gain respect by killing a Demon, rushed forward towards Joshua-B312 who raised his rifle and fired the remaining rounds in his clip at the alien warrior. However all the bullets done was short out the Elite's shields and the blue-armored, powerful creature continued to rushed towards the SPARTAN. Joshua-B312 bought the butt of his rifle down hard onto the alien's head listening contently to the crunching sound it made as the alien dropped dead at his feet. Content with his kill Noble Six turned to get a better look at his surrounding only to feel his shields being beaten repeatedly by plasma. Turning to the east the SPARTAN made out three figured, one of them tall and two of medium sized, _an Elite and two Jackals huh_ the SPARTAN thought as he ducked behind a rock. The what-could-be-last-member of Noble Team grabbed a frag grenade from his hip, pulled the pin and flung the fist-sized object over the rock towards the three enemies. Three seconds later there was a deafening roar of an explosion and the cry from the two Jackals whilst the Elite roared in rage, his shields having failed. Six took his chance and slipped out from the rock and having reloaded his rifle aimed said-weapon at the Minor Elite and pulled the trigger. The Elite fell with a deep groan from the back of his throat. Six felt more plasma strike at his body and a crack appeared in the visor of his MkV[B] helmet followed by another as a blast from a Fuel Rod Cannon stuck him sending him full force into the rock he had just hid behind mere moments ago.

Getting over the initial shock from such an attack Joshua-B312 was barely able to raise his rifle in a defensive position as a blue blade of pure-energy cut through the metal like a hot knife through butter. Without his shields and internal heat systems, the latter having been disabled since Operation: UPPERCUT during his re-entry, to protect his body Joshua felt the intense heat of the blade which was mere millimetres from his chest plate, which would not have saved him either. As the Elite Ultra prepared for another attempt at killing the Demon Joshua raised his right leg and kicked the alien in the 'stomach' with all the strength he could muster. The white-armored Ultra groaned and backed off a few steps giving the SPARTAN enough time to pull the DMR from his back and fire three shots into the Elite's skull, killing him instantly. His helmet's visor now cracked in two places Joshua-B312 pulled the damaged headgear off his head dropping it to the ground with a soft thud as more Sangheilian battle cries broke through the silence that had befallen Reach.

Hearing the distinctive hooves of an Elite the SPARTAN turned pulling his M6G off his other hip as he did and elbowed the Sangheili General in the face sending it to the ground after which Joshua-B312 gained an easy kill by sending a single bullet through the head of the offending alien. More plasma stuck the unshielded SPARTAN earning his enemies a grunt of pain as Joshua-B312 grabbed another MA37 raising it to his helmet and fired at the enemy Minors that had unleashed the plasma onto him. He could feel blood rushing out from the wounds the plasma had caused but he had no time to think about those wounds as more Sangheili warriors appeared before him, most armed with Energy Swords. The SPARTAN panted heavily but tightened his grip on the MA37 and M6G hearing the growls from Elites who started to rush him. An Ultra rushed him knocking the wounded SPARTAN-III to the ground which also lost him his rifle and pistol. A Zealot prepared to finish off his prey but the SPARTAN resisted and kicked the Energy Sword from the Zealot's hand however the Ultra from before had now recovered and pounced once more onto Joshua-B312. The SPARTAN-III elbowed the Ultra in the face sending the alien reeling and away from him as there was a soft swishing-like noise as the Zealot from before had activated an Energy Dagger, behind him another Zealot appeared banishing an Energy Sword. Joshua-B312 sighed heavily knowing his end was near...

* * *

**August 30th, 2552, 20:20 Hours (Human Time)**

**Covenant Assault Carrier _Seeker of Truth_, in orbit of Reach**

The bridge of the _Seeker of Truth_ was a hub of activity as the Fleet of Particular Justice continued to fight against the small fringes of Human resistance that remained alive on the surface of the world they called 'Reach'. Having tracked one of their vessels to this location the Supercarrier _Long Night of Solace _along with three corvette-class vessels, the _Ardent Prayer_, _Mercy's Hymn_ and the _Shining Soul_ had been to the planet as the first wave of an assault force. Unfortunately the Humans of this planet had proved more resourceful than others and had not only crippled their sneak assault forces **and **destroyed the _Ardent Prayer_ and the _Mercy's Hymn _but had successfully destroyed the _Long Night of Solace_. It was the loss of the Supercarrier that prompted Supreme Commander Thel 'Vadamee to have the entire Fleet Slip _directly_ into orbit above the planet.

The resistance from the Human's pitiful Navy had actually been quite surprising for once, which lead to the Supreme Commander correctly assuming that this world was indeed important to the Humans. The most surprising thing he had seen was that some of the smaller Human vessels, Frigates he believed they were to the Humans, had actually attempted to the vessels in his Fleet. The Fleet of Particular Justice was one of the Covenant's more larger fleets and one that most newly graduated personnel attempted to get posted too. With a Fleet so big the Human suicide ships had been wiped from existence in a mix of plasma weaponry. Now only wreckage and debris remained in orbit over the military fortress world. Thel looked away from the report of the orbital battle and focused his attention to the screens at the front of the bridge that showed various areas of the surface.

There was the chime of an alert as a single Grunt turned to face the Supreme Commander, "Master! Human ship has left surface!". Grunts, being one of the smallest members of the Covenant were fearful of _**every**_ other race at made up the current Covenant Empire. For most of his part Thel never viewed the Grunts any lower than he did the Kig-yar or the Yanme'e however he place most races above the Jiralhanae for they had done nothing to earn the respect that the Prophets gave them and were only a dumb race – in other words the complete opposite of his people the Sangheili. More chimes broke him from his train of thought as the central most screen changed to show said-ship.

Thel noted that it was a _Human Attack Ship Class C-II_, one of the Human's older cruisers that had not been seen on the battlefield for a while. The ship seemed to be making sure it avoided most of the fleet however he remained quite recently that the _Burning Resolution_, a _CCS_-class ship, had been destroyed after sending a report that a Human vessel was attempting to leave the surface. No doubt this was the vessel that the _Resolution_'s Captain had meant, "Magnify on that vessel's hull at once.", Thel motioned to the Elites at the very front consoles of the ship and once his order was carried out he read the name stencilled in big black letters upon the cruiser's hull, "The _Pillar of Autumn_...Bring this ship about and prepare flank speed for that cruiser we must-".

However a Minor at the top of the bridge interrupted him "Supreme Commander, the Human ship prepares for the jump into the alternate space!".

Thel growled but not at the Minor but at the image of the Human Cruiser. He bought his fist down upon the right arm of his Gravity Chair, the signature chair of all Shipmasters before he calmed himself "Very well. Send the _Truth and Reconciliation_ along with a handful of other _CCS_-class battleshipsand Corvettes. They are to track that Human ship and destroy it upon it's emergence from the alternate space!". The Major assigned to communications nodded and Thel watched as the _Truth and Reconciliation_ followed the Human vessel along with it's small fleet of battlecruisers and corvetters. If only Thel had known what important discovery was about to be made at the exit coordinates of that Human vessel...

* * *

**August 30th, 2552, 20:10 Hours**

**UNSC _George Washington_, _Marathon_-Class Cruise, In Slipspace**

The _Battle of Reach _had been more demoralising for the UNSC as opposed to the resources that had been lost in the battle for the military fortress. Even civilians knew if Reach fell then Earth fell as HIGHCOM, FLEETCOM and the Marine Corps Supreme Headquarters were all located there. The _George Washington_ had been one of the ships that had returned from another mission in order to defend it's home. Heavily damaged the cruiser had been relegated to becoming an evac-ship taking survivors from deployed ground forces out of the system, on a random vector in accordance with the Cole Protocol, to safety. For Edward Buck the _Battle of Reach _had been a living nightmare. He had never seen such destruction on a massive destruction although he had heard of such destruction at other glassed Human colonies like Harvest.

Stationed in New Alexandria Buck had been fortunate to have left the city before multiple _CSS_-class vessels had reduced the once gleaming city to mere sheets of super-heated glass. To Buck the 'Glassing' technique employed by the Covenant was akin to hell on Earth for anything inside the plasma's reach was instantly super-heated and melted or moulded into literal glass, which why it was called such by the UNSC. Whatever the Covenant name for it was Buck did not care. However with support from SPARTAN-B312 Buck had managed to pilot his Falcon all the way to the nearest evac-port whilst also having picked up various people along the way. Thankfully he and the troopers with him had managed to grab a shuttle and link up with the _George Washington_. Now Buck was heading to Humanity's homeworld: Earth. For Buck Earth was just a very important planet for the UNSC but not for him, no his homeworld was Draco III. In 2551 Draco III had been glassed by the Covenant Navy which cost Buck his family. The footsteps from another interrupted his viewing of alternate space.

He turned his head looking at the face of a Naval Officer, however he worn the darker shade of a Naval officer's uniform – the uniform of an employee of the Office of Naval Intelligence. Buck sighed, _Greattttt just what I need...more Spooks_ he thought as he glanced outside at the swirling mass of colors that made up the alternate space of Slipspace. The ONI officer stood close to where Buck was and clear his throat, "You are Gunnery Sergeant Edward Buck, are you not?" the young man spoke with authority that he had not earned. From the looks of him he had came to his position from one of three ways: he had been fast tracked from the Academy, his family or someone his family knew was high up in ONI's chain of command **or** ONI was more desperate than anyone knew, _but I bet I know someone who could tell me if she was here_.

Buck turned to the office and nod, "Yea, who wants to know?".

"Lieutenant Matthew Sheppard, ONI Section II sir. I'd like to speak to you concerning the events you witnessed at Reach."

Knowing what SII was infamous for Buck had flinched ever so slightly. No doubt ONI was looking to ensure that the true facts concerning the _Fall of Reach_ were not given to the general public. Whilst he agreed that public morale was needed Edward disagreed with the fabrication of events in the name of keeping the peace, "Exactly what needs to be _discussed_ Lt?".

Sheppard sat down on the bench that Buck himself sat upon. The room they were in was once a viewing gallery back when the War wasn't on. Nowadays most ships had their viewing galleries removed for extra equipment or storage facilities but the _George Washington_ was one of the oldest _Marathon-_Class Cruisers around and retained the area, "Well we'd like you to not speak to much about what you witnessed during the battle, especially the glassing of New Alexendria. You must understand that if the truth about how badly beaten at Reach came to the general public's knowledge then things back Home will become a lot worse every quickly.".

Before he had thought about what he would say Buck had started speaking, "Things will get bad back Home? Things are bad already! I just watched as Reach's defense forces were swiped aside like insect! Our fleet did little damage to theirs and the only real kill was the destruction of that Covvie Supercarrier by Noble Team so don't tell me things _will get_ bad. Things already **ARE** bad Lieutenant.". He sighed and looked back out into Slipspace, "I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that.", the ODST said gently with genuine sympathy. No doubt Sheppard had to carry out jobs and interviews like these are the time.

The younger man shook his head, "Don't be. Everything you just said was true. I know it, you know it hell the entire armed forces know it. But the civilians don't and even if we are to lose everything at the end of the day letting them have a little bit of hope is worth it.", he finished then stood up and headed for the door, "You probably have had this talk a thousand times already. Heck most people do if they are lucky yo survive. All I know is that when the Covenant come to Earth we'll be ready to fight with everything we have left. I just hope it's enough". Sheppard left the room quietly leaving Buck to stare out the window. The Gunnery Sergeant sighed once more, _I wonder what you're doing now Veronica Dare_...

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Well there you have the first chapter of my brand new fic. I hope you enjoyed it and please review!


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